Delhi among 17 States, Union Territories without e-waste recycling facility: CPCB to NGT

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that 17 States and Union Territories, including Delhi, do not have electronic or e-waste recycling facilities. The national capital also does not maintain records on the interstate transportation of e-waste. However, the CPCB noted that the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) is among the seven State pollution bodies that have completed e-waste inventorisation covering all 106 categories of electrical and electronic Equipment (EEE) under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022.

A Bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A. Senthil Vel was hearing the matter regarding e-waste management across States and UTs. The tribunal had earlier sought an action-taken report from the CPCB.

In its order dated February 12, the Bench noted the CPCB had received responses from all States and Union Territories, except Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand. It noted that 17 States/UTs, including Delhi, lacked e-waste recycling facilities.

According to the report, Delhi primarily disposes of its e-waste through Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) or agreements between bulk waste generators and registered recyclers located outside the city, with most of such recyclers located in the national capital region (NCR).

The tribunal said that according to the report, 21 states/UTs, including Delhi, did not maintain records on the interstate transportation of e-waste.

“Seven state pollution control boards (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) have completed e-waste inventorisation covering all 106 categories of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) under the E-Waste (Management) Rules of 2022, and submitted it thereof to CPCB. These are Assam, Delhi, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura,” it said.

Maintaining an inventory of the EEE waste categories is critical for estimating the waste generated by each state/UT.

The tribunal noted the submissions of the CPCB’s counsel that draft guidelines for nationwide e-waste inventorisation had been prepared and shared with all states/UTs and that the final guidelines will be issued after receiving the pending responses.

“In view of this, the CPCB is directed to file a further status report at least one week before the next date of hearing [on May 21],” the tribunal said.